The watering of livestock, such as cows, horses, pigs and the like, is necessary to maintain, promote and stimulate growth. Cows, for example, require water not only to sustain themselVes, but also to produce milk which may then be sold for consumption. The volume of water consumed by a cow, therefore, has an impact on the volume of milk produced and, as a consequence thereof, the cost of milk.
The watering of livestock has, in the past, been accomplished through the use of troughs, buckets and the like. While a trough may be suitable at some times during the year, it is not suitable during freezing conditions which cause ice to form on the surface of the water, thereby preventing the livestock from drinking. Extremely warm conditions, on the other hand, particularly when the trough does not have a continuous water flow, may cause the water to become stagnant or otherwise unsuitable for drinking. FinallY, it is not unusual for some animals to consume feed and to then drink, with the result that animal feed contaminates the water.
The prior art discloses various types of livestock waterers having the purpose of maintaining water flow, supplying water only as desired, and insulating the trough in order to prevent freezing. For the most part, these attempts to proVide a livestock waterer permitting temperature controlled, fresh water to be supplied only as needed have been unsuccessful and unnecessarily complicated. For example, it is frequently required that the animal depress some sort of a lever or the like with its nose.
In view of the above, it can be appreciated that there is a need for a livestock waterer which supplies fresh water for drinking, but only as and when desired by the livestock. Should the livestock not desire a drink, then the waterer should remove the water from the drinking receptacle in order to prevent it from freezing or stagnating. Preferably, the waterer should be activated without requiring physical contact by the livestock, thereby eliminating the need for levers, press bars and the like.